Athletic grips

ABSTRACT

Implementations of an athletic grip are provided. In some implementations, a more durable and adjustable grip that may have a comparable break-in time as handmade grips made of athletic tape is provided. In some implementations, the grips of the present disclosure are made of athletic tape. In some implementations, the grips include an interior material such as a duct canvas fabric or other flexible, tightly woven, durable fabric such as Roc-lon®. In some implementations, the grips include slits and a removable band to secure the grips to the user&#39;s wrist. In some implementations, the slits are longer than the width of the band to adjust the position of the band on the user&#39;s wrist. In some implementations, the grips and/or the bands include fasteners (such as snaps, buttons, hook and loop fasteners (e.g., Velcro®), or other reclosable fasteners to secure the band to the grip.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No.61/838,114, which was filed on Jun. 21, 2013, and is incorporated hereinby reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to implementations of athletic grips.

BACKGROUND

Tape grips are handmade grips made with athletic tape that are used bygymnasts, acrobats, weight lighters, etc. to improve their grip whenengaging with a bar, ring, etc. and/or to reduce blisters on their handswhen engaging such devices. These handmade tape grips can be aninexpensive alternative to higher end grips that are more durable andmade of more expensive material such as leather. Furthermore, handmadetape grips typically have a shorter break-in time than grips made ofless flexible material such as leather. Thus, tape grips may be moresuitable for novice users as they transition to more durable grips madeof more expensive material such as leather. Unlike the more durablegrips made of more expensive material such as leather, handmade tapegrips typically do not include a dowel embedded in the grip near the topof the palm area to help improve the user's grip.

The typical handmade grip 100 is made by folding the sticky side 102 ofa first strip 105 of athletic tape in half lengthwise such that thesticky-side 102 is no longer exposed, as shown in FIG. 1A. The firststrip of athletic tape typically is about two times the length of theuser's palm. As shown in FIG. 1B, the athletic tape then is bent in halfin such a manner that a loop 107 is formed by the two halves at a topend and, the outer edge of the two halves meet for the rest of thelength of the two halves. A second strip 125 of athletic tape then isused to secure the two halves of the first strip of tape, leaving theloop 107 exposed, as shown in FIG. 1C. The loop 107 now can be insertedon one of the user's finger with the bottom end extending along theuser's palm and then a third strip 135 of tape is used to secure the endof the grip to the user's wrist, as shown in FIG. 1D

Handmade tape grips are disposable and the user typically makes a gripeach time a grip is needed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A-1D illustrate a method of a making a handmade tape grip.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate an example grip 200 according to the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example grip having two loops for a user'sfingers.

FIGS. 4A-4B illustrate another example grip having three loops for auser's fingers.

FIGS. 5A-5B illustrate a first side and a second side of an example bandaccording to the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 illustrates another example wrist portion of a grip according tothe present disclosure.

FIGS. 7A-7B illustrate another implementation of a band that may besecured around the wrist.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Implementations of an athletic grip are provided. In someimplementations, a more durable and adjustable grip that may have acomparable break-in time as the handmade grips made of athletic tape isprovided. In some implementations of the present disclosure, the gripsof the present disclosure are made of athletic tape. In someimplementations, the grips of the present disclosure include an interiormaterial such as a duct canvas fabric or other flexible, tightly woven,durable fabric such as Roc-lon® or any other presently existing orfuture developed material that may extend the life of the grips. In someimplementations, the grips of the present disclosure are made of a moredurable material than athletic tape, such as mole skin, medical tape, orany other similar material presently existing or developed in thefuture. In some implementations, the grips are made of any materialhaving an adhesive backing. In some implementations, the grips are madeof any material having a non-adhesive backing.

In some implementations, the grips of the present disclosure includeslits and a removable band to secure the grips to the user's wrist. Insome implementations, the slits are longer than the width of the band toadjust the position of the band on the user's wrist. In someimplementations, the slits of the grips are at least 25% longer than thewidth of the band. In some implementations, the slits of the grips arelonger or shorter. In some implementations, the slits are of asufficient length to receive the band.

In some implementations, the grips and/or the bands include fasteners(such as snaps, buttons, hook and loop fasteners (e.g., Velcro®), orother reclosable fasteners or any other attachment or fasteningtechnology existing or developed in the future) to secure the band tothe grip. In some implementations, the grips of the present disclosureinclude a removable or non-removal dowel.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate example grips 200 a,b (collectively 200)according to the present disclosure. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, thegrip 200 includes a finger loop portion 205 a,b, a palm portion 210 a,b,wrist portion 215 a,b, and a band 220 (collectively 205, 210, 215). Insome implementations, the grip 200 may include stitching (e.g.,stitching 202) around the outer perimeter of the palm portion 210 andthe wrist portion 215. In some implementations, the grip 200 may includestitching around the perimeter of the slits 217 (see, e.g., FIG. 2B). Insome implementations, the grip 200 is made of athletic tape. In someimplementations, the grip 200 includes an interior material such as a“duct”-type material or other flexible material. In someimplementations, the grip 200 is made of a more durable material thanathletic tape, such as mole skin, medical tape, or any other material.

The finger loop portion includes one or more loops to insert a user'sfinger(s). For example, FIG. 3 illustrates an example grip 300 havingtwo loops for a user's fingers, and FIG. 4A illustrates an example grip400 having three loops for a user's fingers.

The palm portion 210 covers a portion of the user's palm in thewidthwise direction and extends in a lengthwise direction to the user'swrist. Comparing FIGS. 2A and 2B and FIG. 4A, the grip 400 covers alarger portion of the user's palm in the widthwise direction than thegrip 200. FIG. 4A also illustrates an example grip 400 having a dowel405. The dowel 405 may be removable or nonremovable. The dowel 405 maybe made of rubber, suede, leather, wood, plastic, metal, or any othermaterial. FIG. 4B illustrates an example reverse side 410 of the examplegrip of FIG. 4A.

In some implementations, as shown in FIG. 3, the grip 300 may include acontoured portion 312 extending between the palm portion 310 and thewrist portion 315. In some implementations, the contoured portion 312may be wider than the upper portion of the palm portion 310 and/or thelower portion of the wrist portion 315. In some implementations, thecontoured portion 312 may be configured to cover the portion of the palmadjacent the user's wrist. In this way, the portion of the palm adjacentthe user's wrist may be protected from blistering. In someimplementations, the contoured portion 312 of the grip 300 may berounded (see, e.g. FIG. 3). In some implementations, the contouredportion 312 may have any other shape suitable for protecting the portionof the palm located adjacent the user's wrist.

In some implementations, the upper part (e.g., upper part 216 b) of thepalm portion 210 may include additional padding to protect the hand. Insome implementations, the additional padding 216 b may be made of a ductcanvas fabric or other flexible, tightly woven, durable fabric such asRoc-lon® or any other presently existing or future developed materialthat may extend the life of the grips. In some implementation, theadditional padding 216 b may be made of a different material.

In some implementations, the wrist portion 215 of the grip 200 includesone or more slits 217 to receive the band 220. In some implementationsof the present disclosure, the length of the slits 217 of the grip 200are longer than the width of the band 220 to adjust the position of theband on the user's wrist. In some implementations of the presentdisclosure, the length of the slits 217 of the grip is at least 25%longer than the width of the band 220. In some implementations, thelength of the slits 217 of the grip is longer or shorter. In someimplementations, the length of the slits 217 of the grip is of asufficient length to receive the band 220.

The band 220 includes one or more fasteners on its ends to close theband around the user's wrist. In some implementations, the fastenersinclude snaps, buttons, hook and loop fasteners (e.g., Velcro®), orother reclosable fasteners or any other attachment or fasteningtechnology existing or developed in the future. For example, the band220 includes hook 222 and loop (not shown; on opposite side, oppositeend of the band 220) fasteners.

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate a first side 510 and a second side 520,respectively, of another example band 500. In some implementations, theband 500 includes hooks 530 on one end of the first side 510 of the bandand loops 540 on the opposite end of the second side 520 of the band500.

Returning to FIGS. 2A, B, in some implementations, the wrist portion 215and the band 220 may include fasteners (e.g., hook and loop fasteners)to secure the band 220 to the wrist portion 215 to prevent the band 220from sliding around the user's wrist. For example, one part of thefastener (e.g., hooks) may be located between the slits 217 of the wristportion 215 and the mating part of the fastener (e.g., loops) may belocated near the middle of the band 220.

As shown in FIG. 6, in some implementations, to secure the band to thewrist portion 615 of a grip 600, a first part 620 (e.g., hooks) of afastener may be located near the top portion of the slits 617 of thewrist portion 615 and the second mating part 625 (e.g., loops) of thefastener may be located near the bottom of the wrist portion 615. Inthis way, the band 220 may be secured to the wrist portion. In someimplementations, the first part 620 of the fastener near the top portionof the slits 617 may be between the slits, may be between and on theouter sides of the slits 617, or in any other arrangement that permitsmating with the bottom part of the wrist portion 615.

In some implementations, the band may include an inspiration message,logo(s), or other graphics and/or text. In some implementations, theband may include a pocket to, for example, insert an inspirationmessage, good luck charm, money, etc (see, e.g., FIG. 5B, element 515).In some implementation, the side of the band that is placed against theskin may include a soft material such as terry cloth, felt, or any othersoft material.

FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate another implementation of a band 700 that maybe secured around the wrist. As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the band 700includes a ring 705 on one end of the band 700 to receive the other endof the band 700. The other end of the band 700 may then be folded overthe ring 705 to secure the band. As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, hook andloop fasteners 710 are strategically placed to permit securing the endof the band 700 on itself. The ring 705 may be made of any materialincluding metal, plastic, or any other suitable material.

Because of the durability and break-in time, the grips of the presentdisclosure may be used by novice, intermediate, or experienced gripusers. The grips of the present disclosure may be used as a primary gripor a back-up grip.

Reference throughout this specification to “an embodiment” or“implementation” or words of similar import means that a particulardescribed feature, structure, or characteristic is included in at leastone embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the phrase “in someimplementations” or a phrase of similar import in various placesthroughout this specification does not necessarily refer to the sameembodiment.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forthherein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which theseinventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in theforegoing descriptions and the associated drawings.

The described features, structures, or characteristics may be combinedin any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the abovedescription, numerous specific details are provided for a thoroughunderstanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in therelevant art will recognize, however, that embodiments of the inventioncan be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or withother methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances,well-known structures, materials, or operations may not be shown ordescribed in detail.

While operations are depicted in the drawings in a particular order,this should not be understood as requiring that such operations beperformed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or thatall illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirable results.

1. A athletic grip comprising: a finger loop portion, the finger loopportion including at least one loop configured to encircle a user'sfinger; a palm portion extending lengthwise from the finger loop portiondown the user's palm to the wrist portion; a wrist portion configure tocover a portion of the user's wrist and having at least one slit; and aband configured to be inserted into the at least one slit and securedaround a user's wrist portion; wherein at least the palm portioncomprise on outer layer made of athletic tape and an interior layer madeof a flexible, tightly woven material.
 2. The athletic grip of claim 2wherein the length of the at least one slit is longer than the width ofthe band thereby allowing the position of the band relative to theuser's wrist to be adjusted.
 3. The athletic grip of claim 3 wherein thewrist portion includes two slits configured to receive the band.
 4. Theathletic grip of claim 1 wherein the wrist portion comprise on outerlayer made of athletic tape and an interior layer made of a flexible,tightly woven material.
 5. The athletic grip of claim 1 wherein theinterior material layer of the palm portion is duct canvas.
 6. Theathletic grip of claim 2 further comprising a first fastener portionlocated on the top portion of the at least one slit of the wrist portionand a second fastener portion located along the bottom of the wristportion.
 7. The athletic grip of claim 1 is further comprised of acontoured portion extending between the palm portion and the wristportion, the contoured portion being configured to protect at least thebase of the user's palm, the contoured portion is wider that the palmportion.
 8. The athletic grip of claim 1 wherein the band is furthercomprised of a first fastener on one end of a first side of the band anda second fastener on the opposite end of a second side of the band, inthis way the band is prevented from sliding around on the user's wrist.9. The athletic grip of claim 1 wherein the band is further comprised ofa pocket.
 10. The athletic grip of claim 1 wherein an upper portion ofthe palm portion includes at least one layer of padding.
 11. Theathletic grip of claim 1 wherein the palm portion includes a dowel thatextends across a portion of the palm portion.
 12. The athletic grip ofclaim 1 wherein the finger loop portion includes two loops.
 13. Theathletic grip of claim 1 wherein the finger loop portion includes threeloops.